Plumeria rubra L. (= Plumeria acutifolia Poir.; Plumeria acuminata W.T. Aiton)

DeFilipps, Robert A. & Krupnick, Gary A., 2018, The medicinal plants of Myanmar, PhytoKeys 102, pp. 1-341 : 14

Plumeria rubra L. (= Plumeria acutifolia Poir.; Plumeria acuminata W.T. Aiton)

Names.

Myanmar: mawk-sam-ka, mawk-sam-pailong, sonpabataing, tayoksaga-ani tayok-saga (red form). English: frangipani, pagoda tree, red plumeria.

Range.

Mexico, Central America, South Asia. Found growing naturally all over Myanmar except in very cool mountainous areas; also cultivated.

Uses.

Known to promote digestive, excretory, respiratory, and immune functioning, with activity against leprosy, infections, and stomach ailments. Sap: The milky sap from the branches and bark is used as a laxative; also in remedies for stomachache and bloating. Bark and Leaf: Used as laxative and for gonorrhea and venereal sores. Leaf and Flower: The leaves can be eaten, the flowers can either be boiled in water and eaten or boiled in tamarind ( Tamarindus indica ) juice and made into a salad to promote regular bowel movements and urine flow, as well as to control gas and phlegm. Flower: Used for treatment of asthma.

Notes.

Medicinal uses of this species in India are discussed in Jain and DeFilipps (1991). Medicinal use of this species in China is discussed by Duke and Ayensu (1985). Perry (1980) discusses the species’ medicinal uses in Indo-China, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Palau.

Researchers report cytotoxic activity against human cancer cell lines ( Kardono et al. 1990), as well as molluscicidal and antibacterial activity ( Hamburger et al. 1991).

Reported chemical constituents include agoniadin, plumierid, plumeric acid, cerotinic acid, and lupenol; the stem contains the alkaloid, triterpinoid. A new antibiotic, fluvoplumierine, which inhibits growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis , has also been found ( Perry 1980).

References.

Nordal (1963), Agricultural Corporation (1980), Forest Department (1999).